Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-01-25 22:55:07
Former Presidential spokesperson and bestselling author, Reno Omokri, has accused MTN, a major telecommunication company, of engaging in exploitative practices across multiple sub-Saharan countries. In a short documentary, Omokri revealed that the economic challenges faced by Ghana were partly due to the monopolistic policies of MTN, which led to significant capital flight from the nation.
The documentary pointed out that Ghana had labeled MTN as a monopoly and imposed heavy fines of $773 million on the company for monopolizing the business environment. Despite MTN’s legal challenges, the Appeals Court ruled in favor of the Ghanaian government’s classification of MTN as a monopoly.
Omokri conducted interviews with Ghanaian government officials, chambers of commerce operatives, labor union activists, and ordinary citizens. The interviews revealed that ordinary Ghanaians were experiencing a decline in their personal economy due to MTN’s control, with one market woman claiming that “All of us in this country now work for MTN.” Labor leaders also expressed concerns about MTN’s interconnectivity rates, which led to the government imposing fines on the company.
The documentary also featured insights from Kevin Ekow Taylor, a prominent Ghanaian journalist, who criticized MTN’s monopolistic practices in the country. Taylor highlighted the negative impact of MTN’s operations on the Ghanaian economy, with an estimated $2 million leaving the country’s economy for South Africa, where MTN is headquartered.
Omokri also traveled to Kenya and interviewed Bishop Wycliffe Khaemba, a well-known activist, who emphasized that Kenya’s Information and Communications Act was designed to prevent a monopoly in the telecommunications industry. The legislation requires dominant providers to adhere to the principle of non-discrimination and transparency in determining interconnection charges, providing a stark contrast to the situation in other African nations.
The documentary also featured comments from Mike Arnold, the elected mayor of Blanco, Texas, urging Nigeria and Ghana to prioritize local goods and services in the telecommunications sector. Arnold emphasized the importance of looking inwards rather than relying on foreign companies like MTN.
Omokri’s documentary has gained widespread attention, shedding light on the impact of MTN’s operations and calling for greater regulation and oversight in the telecommunications industry across sub-Saharan Africa.
Read the original article on The Guardian
